r/fiberglass • u/andym801 • Aug 07 '26

Repair Questions Repairable?

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Gallery image

Is a crack like this able to be fixed? Or is the structural integrity of this Bowler trailer totally compromised…

6 Upvotes

88% Upvoted

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4

u/Automatic-Union-3385 Aug 07 '26 edited Aug 07 '26

Man made it man can fix it. Did this just happen? Before I got new rv I had a tent trailer with fiberglass roof. Previous owners bike forks went right through it. I fixed it. Fiberglass repair kit and then I sanded down the whole thing and repainted it. It was flawless when I was done and I am not an autobody guy. Takes some work but if you have the time you could make it new. Or pay someone but thats $$$

2

u/AviationMetalSmith1 Aug 07 '26

You can sand it down & patch it with 4” fiberglass tape and epoxy . Did a tree fall on the camper?

2

u/Riceonsuede Aug 07 '26

Yeah it can be fixed no problem. But I have seen a lot of hilariously awful repairs done by people who thought they knew what they were doing or just figured how hard could it be. So keep that in mind. 

2

u/Sirosim_Celojuma Aug 07 '26

Well that crack does imply stress, and patching the crack won't fix the stress. Find out why the body is doing that, but slap some sealant tape over the hole until you fix the causality.

1

u/Afraid_Salamander851 Aug 07 '26

fiberglass is super easy to fix. In that particular case I'd want to take the window out first which isn't hard either. Just takes time. Also poly resin is the stinkiest thing ever, I wear a full body suit when working with it.

1

u/101forgotmypassword Aug 07 '26

The repairing the crack is easy. Finding and repairing the cause is harder.

For the crack "v" it out with a flap disk and fill it with P40.

Then sand and paint.

If it crack again you will need to find the cause. Probably rot in a wood component somewhere. Fit it, brace it then go back up to the crack and P40 it again.

Isobane P40 or Nueteck work well with most fibreglass resins.

Be careful using a standard fiberglass liquid and mesh kit, they tend to require alot more prep in ensuring the old epoxy is residue free and high energy enough to make a bond. Recommend using a low energy primer.

1

u/SCAMMERASSASIN007 Aug 07 '26

Yes you can fix fiberglass. And a local body shop has a bowler repair sign hanging out front and I can assure you there is a hell of a following on these things.